Roofing trim strips and multi-piece roofing trim strip products

ABSTRACT

A roofing trim strip and multi-piece trim strip product is provided. There is shown a roofing trim strip base that may be applied to a suitable roofing surface, such as a thermoplastic membrane roof. The trim strip base includes a cap coupling portion extending away from a base portion. The cap coupling portion includes cap engagement features. A roofing trim cap strip includes a web portion and a base coupling portion. The base coupling portion of the cap strip may be placed over the cap coupling portion to couple the cap strip with the base strip. The cap strip may take any suitable configuration and may be particularly adapted to simulate a standing seam metal roof.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/494,202 filed Jun. 7, 2011. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to roofing materials and, more particularly, to roofing trim strips for in situ type of attachment to a roof.

BACKGROUND

It is generally known in the art to apply one-piece decorative thermoplastic strips to underlying thermoplastic roofing membranes. Current strips have several disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a roofing trim base strip for application to a surface;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the roofing trim base strip of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a roofing trim cap strip for assembly to the roofing trim base strip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the roofing trim cap strip of FIG. 3 taken along line 3-3 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a multi-piece roofing trim product including the roofing trim cap strip of FIG. 3 assembled to the roofing trim base strip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a roofing trim cap strip for assembly to the base strip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the roofing trim cap strip of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7 thereof; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a multi-piece roofing trim strip product including the roofing trim cap strip of FIG. 6 assembled to the roofing trim base strip of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show one exemplary embodiment of a roofing trim base strip 10 that may be applied in situ to any suitable roofing surface. The roofing surface may include a sheet of material, for example, a roofing membrane of single or multiple ply construction. In one embodiment, the membrane may be molded from polyvinyl chloride, or may be produced in any other suitable manner of any other suitable thermoplastic material. Suitable membranes are available from Duro-Last Roofing, Inc., of Saginaw, Mich. In one embodiment, the material of the surface is identical to the material of the strip 10. The strip 10 may be molded, extruded, or otherwise formed or produced in any other suitable manner and may be composed of polyvinyl chloride, or any other suitable thermoplastic material. In other embodiments, the materials of the base strip 10 and the roofing membrane may be similar or may be dissimilar. If any given strip 10 is not long enough for a particular application, a plurality of the strip 10 may be laid end-to-end, and may be butt-welded or otherwise coupled together in end-to-end fashion.

The base strip 10 extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis A₁ and perpendicularly to a base axis B₁ that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A₁ and perpendicularly to a projection axis C₁ that is perpendicular to the longitudinal and base axes A₁, B₁. The base strip 10 includes a base portion 12 including opposed flanges 14, 16 extending in opposite directions, and a cap coupling portion 18 extending in a direction transversely away from the base portion 12 a location between the flanges 14, 16. As used herein, the term “opposed” includes face-to-face opposition or back-to-back opposition. The flanges 14, 16 may extend transversely away from the projection axis C₁, and generally parallel to the base axis B₁. The base strip 10 may be of generally inverted T-shape as shown wherein the cap coupling portion 18 forms a central or vertical leg of the “T” and the base flanges 14, 16 form a transverse or horizontal leg or legs of the “T.” The base portion 12 may be generally planar and includes a base surface 20 that may include flange base surfaces 22, 24 of the flanges 14, 16 and also may include another portion 23 extending between the flange base surfaces 22, 24. The base portion 12 also may include angled sides 26, 28 on the flanges 14, 16, and shoulder surfaces 30, 32 on the flanges 14, 16 oppositely disposed from the flange base surfaces 22, 24. The shoulder surfaces 30, 32 may be flat or of any other suitable shape.

The cap coupling portion 18 may be a solid or hollow rib or projection extending away from the base portion 12, for example, at a central portion 13 thereof wherein the flange portions 14, 16 extend in a direction away therefrom. The cap coupling portion 18 may include cap engagement features 34, 36. The engagement features 34, 36 may extend in a direction away from the projection axis C₁, and generally parallel to the base axis B₁. In one example, the cap coupling portion 18 also may include side surfaces 38, 40 extending away from the surfaces 30, 32 of the flanges 14, 16, a terminal surface 42, and the cap engagement features 34, 36 therebetween. The cap engagement features 34, 36 may include outwardly extending barbs. For example, the cap engagement features 34, 36 may include ramp surfaces 44, 46 and shoulder surfaces 48, 50 extending between the ramp surfaces 44, 46 and the side surfaces 38, 40. The cap engagement features 34, 36 may be spaced from the flanges 14, 16 in a direction along the projection axis C₁.

The cap engagement features 34, 36 and the side surfaces 30, 32 may be shaped to form engagement slots 52, 54 between the cap engagement features 34, 36 and the opposed flanges 14, 16. For example, the side surfaces 38, 40 may be semi-circular, as shown, or may be of any other suitable shape. Also, the terminal surface 42 may be flat, as shown, or may be of any other suitable shape. Moreover, the ramp surfaces 44, 46 may be angled or straight, as shown, or may be curved, radiused, or of any other suitable shape. Additionally, the shoulder surfaces 48, 50 may be flat, as shown, and may extend generally parallel to the base axis B₁, forming acute angles with respect to the ramp surfaces 44, 46.

More particularly, the cap coupling portion 18 itself also may be generally T-shaped. For example, the cap engagement features 34, 36 may form a transverse or horizontal leg or legs of the “T.” Likewise, a central or vertical portion of the “T” may be formed between the side surfaces 38, 40.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an exemplary embodiment of a roofing trim cap strip 310 that may be assembled to the base strip 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2, or to any other suitable roofing trim base strip. The cap strip 310 extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis A₂ and perpendicularly to a base axis B₂ that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A₂ and perpendicularly to a projection axis C₂ that is perpendicular to the longitudinal and base axes A₂, B₂. The cap strip 310 may be extruded from polyvinyl chloride or may be produced in any other suitable manner of any other suitable thermoplastic material. In other embodiments, the materials of the cap strip 310 and the base strip 10 may be similar or may be dissimilar. The cap strip 310 includes a web portion 312, and a base coupling portion 314 extending from the web portion 312. The cap strip 310 may be of generally inverted V shape in cross-section.

The web portion 312 includes two side walls 316, 318 extending at an inward angle from the base coupling portion 314 at one end of the web portion 312, and forming an apex 320 at another end of the web portion 312. The web portion 312 may be triangular shaped and the apex 320 may rounded or radiused.

The base coupling portion 314 includes legs 323, 325 with fixed ends 322, 324 and free ends 326, 328. The legs 323, 325 may be spaced apart in a direction extending parallel to the base axis B₂, and disposed on either side of the projection axis C₂. The base coupling portion 314 extends from the fixed ends 322, 324 at corresponding portions of the web portion 312 in a direction away from the web portion 312 and includes base engagement features 330, 332 proximate the free ends 326, 328. As used herein, the term “proximate” includes being relatively closer to the free ends 326, 328 than to the fixed ends 322, 324. The base engagement features 330, 332 may include barbs extending inwardly from inward surfaces of the base coupling portion 314. For example, the base engagement features 330, 332 may include ramp surfaces 334, 336 and shoulder surfaces 338, 340 extending from the ramp surfaces 334, 336. The ramp surfaces 334, 336 may be curved, or radiused or semi-circular, as shown, or may be or angled or straight, or of any other suitable shape. The shoulder surfaces 338, 340 may be flat as shown and may extend in a direction parallel with the transverse axis B₂, forming acute angles with respect to the ramp surfaces 334, 336.

FIG. 5 shows one exemplary embodiment of a roofing trim cap assembly 300. The assembly 300 may include the cap strip 310 of FIGS. 3 and 4 assembled to the base strip 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 that may be applied to a roof R in any suitable manner.

For example, the base strip 10 may be laid over the roof R and adhered, bonded, welded, fastened, or coupled to the roof R in any suitable in situ application. In one example embodiment, the base strip 10 may be applied to the roof R in accordance with the METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING STRIPS TO SURFACES of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/352,193, filed Jun. 7, 2010 and assigned to the assignee hereof. The content of the above application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Then, the cap strip 310 may be oriented over the base strip 10 and assembled thereto. For example, the base coupling portion 314 of the cap strip 310 may be forced over the cap coupling portion 18 of the base strip 10. The cap strip ramp surfaces 334, 336 may cam or ride over the base strip ramp surfaces 44, 46 until the cap strip shoulder surfaces 338, 340 move past the base strip shoulder surfaces 48, 50 (FIG. 2). The cap strip engagement features 330, 332 interengage the cap strip 310 to the base strip 10, wherein the cap strip engagement features 330, 332 are retained in the base strip slots 52, 54 (FIG. 2) between the base strip engagement features 34, 36 and the base strip flanges 14, 16. The cap strip engagement features 330, 332 may be sized to occupy substantially the entire slots 52, 54. Accordingly, the cap strip 310 may be coupled directly to and in contact with the base strip 10 with nothing in between. Also, if any given strip 310 is not long enough for a particular application, a plurality of the strip 310 may be laid end-to-end, and may be butt-welded or otherwise coupled together in end-to-end fashion.

The assembly 300 is a multiple piece or multi-piece product that may provide an aesthetic, architectural appearance to a roof. For example, the assembly 300 may simulate a standing-seam rib of a metal roof. The assembly 300 forms an interior space or void 302 between interior surfaces of the cap strip 310 and exterior surfaces of the base strip 10. The void 302 may be generally triangular in shape, as shown, or of any other suitable shape. The assembly 300 may be customized. For example, a common base strip may be used with cap strips of other colors and/or other shapes different from the base strip.

For instance, FIGS. 6 and 7 show another exemplary embodiment of a roofing trim cap strip 410 that may be assembled to the base strip 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 or to any other suitable roofing trim base strip. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, and like numerals between the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Additionally, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated by reference into one another and the common subject matter generally may not be repeated here.

The cap strip 410 extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis A₃ and perpendicularly to a base axis B₃ that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A₃ and perpendicularly to a projection axis C₃ that is perpendicular to the longitudinal and base axes A₃, B₃. The cap strip 410 may be extruded from polyvinyl chloride or may be produced in any other suitable manner of any other suitable thermoplastic material. In other embodiments, the materials of the cap strip 410 and the base strip 10 may be similar or may be dissimilar. The cap strip 410 includes a web portion 412, and a base coupling portion 414 extending from the web portion 412. The cap strip 410 may be of generally “Pi” shape in cross-section.

The web portion 412 includes a wall 413 extending across the base coupling portion 414. The wall 413 may have an arcuate outer surface 416 and a corresponding arcuate inner surface 417. The arcuate surfaces 416, 417 may be semi-circular. The wall 413 may terminate in extensions 418, 420 that may extend past portions of the base coupling portion 414.

The base coupling portion 414 includes opposed legs 423, 425 including fixed ends 422, 424 and free ends 426, 428. The legs 423, 425 may be spaced apart in a direction extending parallel to the base axis B₃, and disposed on either side of the projection axis C₃. The base coupling portion 414 extends from the fixed ends 422, 424 at corresponding portions of the web portion 412 in a direction away from the web portion 412 and includes base engagement features 430, 432 proximate the free ends 426, 428. The base engagement features 430, 432 may include barbs extending inwardly from inward surfaces of the base coupling portion 414. For example, the base engagement features 430, 432 may include ramp surfaces 434, 436 and shoulder surfaces 438, 440 extending from the ramp surfaces 334, 336. The ramp surfaces 434, 436 may be curved, or radiused or semi-circular, as shown, or may be or angled or straight, or of any other suitable shape. The shoulder surfaces 438, 440 may be flat as shown and may extend in a direction parallel with the transverse axis B₃, forming acute angles with respect to the ramp surfaces 434, 436.

FIG. 8 shows another exemplary embodiment of a roofing trim cap assembly 400. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIG. 5, and like numerals between the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Additionally, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated by reference into one another and the common subject matter generally may not be repeated here.

The assembly 400 may include the cap strip 410 of FIGS. 6 and 7 assembled to the base strip 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 that may be applied to a roof R in any suitable manner. Then, the cap strip 410 may be oriented over the base strip 10 and assembled thereto, for example, by forcing the base coupling portion 414 of the cap strip 410 over the cap coupling portion 18 of the base strip 10. The cap strip ramp surfaces 434, 436 may cam or ride over the base strip ramp surfaces 44, 46 until the cap strip shoulder surfaces 438, 440 move past the base strip shoulder surfaces 48, 50 (FIG. 2). The cap strip engagement features 430, 432 interengage the cap strip 410 to the base strip 10, wherein the cap strip engagement features 430, 432 are retained in the base strip slots 52, 54 (FIG. 2) between the base strip engagement features 34, 36 and the base strip flanges 14, 16. The cap strip engagement features 430, 432 may be sized to occupy substantially the entire slots 52, 54. Accordingly, the cap strip 410 may be coupled directly to and in contact with the base strip 10 with nothing in between. Also, if any given strip 410 is not long enough for a particular application, a plurality of the strip 410 may be laid end-to-end, and may be butt-welded or otherwise coupled together in end-to-end fashion.

The assembly 400 is a multiple piece or multi-piece product that may provide an aesthetic, architectural standing-seam appearance to a roof. The assembly 400 forms an interior space or void 402 between interior surfaces of the cap strip 410 and exterior surfaces of the base strip 10. The void 402 may be generally rectangular in shape, as shown, or of any other suitable shape.

The foregoing description is considered illustrative only. The terminology that is used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art in view of the description. Thus, the foregoing description is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments described above. Accordingly the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A roofing trim base strip, comprising: a base portion including opposed flanges extending in opposite directions; and a cap coupling portion extending in a direction transversely away from said base portion and including opposed engagement features.
 2. The roofing trim base strip of claim 1 wherein said opposed flanges include flange base surfaces and said base portion also includes a base surface including said flange base surfaces.
 3. The roofing trim base strip of claim 2 wherein another portion of said base surface extends between said flange base surfaces.
 4. The roofing trim base strip of claim 2 wherein said opposed flanges include shoulder surfaces on an opposite side of said opposed flanges from said flange base surfaces.
 5. The roofing trim base strip of claim 1 wherein said opposed engagement features include opposed barbs.
 6. The roofing trim base strip of claim 5 wherein said opposed barbs include opposed ramp surfaces and opposed shoulder surfaces extending from said opposed ramp surfaces.
 7. The roofing trim base strip of claim 5 wherein opposed slots are defined between said opposed barbs and said opposed flanges.
 8. A roofing trim cap strip, comprising: a web portion; and a base coupling portion including spaced apart legs having fixed ends and free ends, wherein said base coupling portion extends from said fixed ends at said web portion in a direction away from said web portion and includes base engagement features proximate said free ends.
 9. The roofing trim cap strip of claim 8 wherein said base engagement features include opposed barbs.
 10. The roofing trim cap strip of claim 9 wherein said opposed barbs of said base coupling portion extend inwardly from inward surfaces of said legs of said base coupling portion.
 11. The roofing trim cap strip of claim 10 wherein said opposed barbs include ramp surfaces and shoulder surfaces extending from said ramp surfaces.
 12. The roofing trim cap strip of claim 8 wherein said web portion includes two side walls extending from said fixed ends of said legs at one end and disposed at an angle to form an apex at another end.
 13. The roofing trim cap strip of claim 12 wherein said web portion is triangular shaped and said apex is rounded.
 14. The roofing trim cap strip of claim 8 wherein said web portion includes a wall extending across said fixed ends of said legs.
 15. The roofing trim cap strip of claim 14 wherein said wall includes an arcuate outer surface.
 16. The roofing trim cap strip of claim 14 wherein said wall terminates in extensions that extend past said fixed ends of said legs.
 17. A multi-piece roofing trim strip product, comprising: a roofing trim base strip, including: a base portion including opposed flanges extending in opposite directions; and a cap coupling portion extending in a direction transversely away from said base portion and including opposed engagement features; and a roofing trim cap strip, including: a web portion; and a base coupling portion including spaced apart legs having fixed ends and free ends, wherein said base coupling portion extends from said fixed ends at said web portion in a direction away from said web portion and includes base engagement features proximate said free ends. 